Improvement in aerial cars



O. ABBRUZZO.

AERIAL GAB.

No. 80,107. Patented July 21,1868.

' Navigation; and I do hereby declare the folplan view thereof. Fig 3 is a side elevation whichlatter is to be protected by suitable bars of by collapsion will in a great measure be reservoir, B, on which are mounted two pumps, a I), having the usual cylinders, pistons, rods,

AENT FFICEG ONOFRIO ABBRUZZO, ST. MABGHERITA, SIOILY, ITALY.

IMPROVEMENT IN AERIAL CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 80,107, dated July 21, 1868; autcdated July 15,- 1868;.

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O- OFRIO ABBRUzz'o, of St. Margherita, of the Province of Girgenti in Sicily, and Kingdom of Italy, have invented new and usefullmprovementsin Aerial lowing to be a clearand exact description thereof, sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying draw-ings,making part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation ofythe device illustrating my invention. .Fig. 2 isa top or of an additional device on the same principle as Fig, 1. i

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Myinvention relates to a mode of aerial navigation; and it consists in the peculiar shape of the body of the balloon; also, in the application of forcing and exhausting pumps to the said body; also, in the application of a propeller. and rockets or equivalents thereto; also, in wings or paddles hai'ing suitable valves, whereby the balloon is properly elevated and guided in any direction, thebursting of its body is prevented, resistance is overcome, and friction aroided. I In the drawings," A represents the body of the balloon, of conical form, or of the form of a spindle, or cigar-shaped. I desire to construct the same of light sheet-iron; but it may be formed in part of iron and oil-silk,

or'stri'ps extendingfromthe stern to the metal part of the bow or point, whereby the silk part will retain its proper form, and burstingthereprevented; but it is desirable to construct it entirely of sheet/metal.

To one side of the body I attach or secure a andoperating levers and-valves. Pipes edare connected to the pumps and pommunicate with interior of the body A. One pump will force the gas or suitable fluid into the body, and the other will exhaust or withdraw the fluid therefrom. It will be noticed that when the internal pressure becomes too great and dangerous the proper quantity of the fluid must be exhausted from the body .b j the proper pump, and the reservoir 13 will receive it. On the other hand, when the body requires its supply f fluid, it can be readily obtained from the-reservoir by means of the forcingpump, The pipes are provided witha monomet-er tocompensate amlequilibrate the ex?- ternal pressure of air, which is indicated by an ordinary barometer.

The rear of the body A is formed into a compartment or chamber, G, provided with suitable windows, and is intended for the pilot or necessary workmen. This apartment is to be constructed of sheet-iron, and has a division-wall between itself and the body A.

In the rear of the body I apply a screwpropeller, D, mounted on crank-shaft e, having its bearings in suitable boxes or cars attachedto the body. This propeller maybe operated by any suitable power through the means of its crank,.pit1nan, or shafts, and pistons from the steam-cylinder j, which is supported on a car or boat, E, suspended from the body of the balloon. Any proper motor may be applied to the propeller. p

The car 'or boatE is to be made of net-work of suitable material, and of a pointed and.

rounded end, so as to conform in a measure with the forward part of the body, By the peculiar shape of the body its surface oifers the least possible resistance, which is th erefore overcome and friction is avoided, which advantages are of the utmost importance'to the unimpeded flight of the balloon.

The position of the propeller maybe varied. Instead of being at the rear, it maybe placed under the body A; but I do not limit myseli to location, furthers-than that the propeller will be properly mounted so as to propel the bal 10011 when desired From the under side of the body A-there or suspended wings or paddles F, which are in tended to be of scoop form, and attached to arms which pass through the boat E, and are pivoted to lugs or cars on the body A} One side,by preference the rear,is cut out in several places, making openings, which are covered by valves 9. The valves will be open when the -win'gs make theirforward motion, and I thus are to be operated by means of a single rod,

which shall connect the two arms of the wings, having a common piston-head which moves in a cylinder, 71, which is secured to the body or resting on carE, or in any-proper position.

In lieu of applying both wings to the under side of the body, they maybe placedas shown in Fig. 2, or one or more may be applied on the upper side of the body to correspond with those shown in Fig. 1. When the'wings are applied as shown in Fig. 2, it is desirable that they should be inclined sidewise, so as to elevate as well as propel the balloon. The wings may be variously applied, however,-and I th'eretbre do not limit myself to the nositi on thereof. a

The car or boat E may'contain the necessary workmen, besides passengers, food, baggage, &c. Should it befoundnecessaryto provide more accommodations therefor, an additional car, G, may be suspended from the body or car E, which shall correspond with each other A suitable tiller is applied to the body, either above or below, or .at the bow or rear of the body.

H represents a rocket-chamber, which consists-of a tube with a breech plug or piece at its rear for placing a war-rocket-within the chamber. Toitsforward end is secured anetwork frame, H, of conical form, or with aflaring mouth. The object of the application of this rocket is to propel the balloon by the reaction of the elasticity of the air. The network will prevent the fire of the rocket from,

reaching the other parts of the balloon, and acts on the principle-of the safety-lamp. The chamber is mounted on pivots and has free motion horizontally to guide the balloon, and therefore performs the functions of the rudder or tiller. The chamber must be of proper size,

as also the rockets, whose power shopld beknown to those who apply them. More than one rocket-chamber may be employed, and they may be arranged at various anglesto each other, so as tocommunicate with each other, and so soon as one rocket is ignited and discharged the next one will follow, and so on throughout.

- Th'e'propeller may have a rudder or tiller attached to it; or'it may be so constructed as to move in a horizontal plane in either direction, and thus direct theballoon. The screwpropeller must be worked in such a manner that its rapid revolution, imparted by a quick engine, will insure the normal power necessary to propel the aerial ship, which normal power is the result of the pressure of the revolving propeller, combined with the reaction. of the air. Wind is nothing'bnt a motion of air toward'a body, and if a body moves'toward the air the same result is attained. The amount of motion indicates the strength of the wind,

' and the rapidity of revolution of the propeller gives the power of action and the reaction of the air in the normal power of propulsion. To determine the power of the propellenthen, the diameter of the same, its angle, and the rapidity of its revolution must be calculated, which, if correctly done, will give the precise power attainable.

It will be understood that when the wings- I are used thepropeller and rockets are unnecessary. The propeller may be used without the wings or rockets. The rockets may be used alone, the propeller and wings being then unnecessary.

The various parts are to be put- 1n operation separately whenever desired; but should itbe found necessary to employ them simultaneous ly, it can readily be'done by applying power thereto.

Fig. 3 represents an additional device, con sisting of a parachute, A, having a slightlyinclined handle, and an ordinary car or boat,

E, which carries a piston-cylinder, f, and gives motion to a propeller through the medium of the crank-shaft e. This device may be attached to the body 'A, and will elevate it without further appliances. The parachute, as shown, will also elevate itself without the balloon. A large screw or spiral flange, D, is attached to the crank-shaft, and is theraising medium. The rocket H may be applied in lieu of the screw, but on theopposite side. A parachute will descend quite slowly, and if the screw is rapidly'rotated it is evident that its motion will overcome the gravity of the parachute and elevate it im'niediately'.. This acts on the same principle as'the screw-propeller, but reversed in its position. The body of the parachute is slightly inclined backward, and will allow the air to act against its under side, and thus catch it; When the screw is put in motion,the device will raise itself, and continue so until a descent is desired.

My device is practical, and is intended to be a useful and quick means for transportation.

' Having th us described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The reservoir B and pumps a b,arranged in relation to the body A so as to increase or decrease the pressure of gas therein, all substantially as and for the purpose described;

2. In arrangement with the car and safetyrocket discharge, the propeller D,mounted' on crank-shaft e and applied to the body A, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with the balloon,abreecli loading rocketchamber attachment with safe ty-guard, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The Wings 01' oars Rhaving va1vesg,opcrate. with the screw 01 roexet, as and for the erated by the engine, an substantmlli; as de purpose described.

scribed, for-the purpose described. To the above specification I have signed my The combination of the conical o'r acutelyname this 14th day of September. 1867. formed body A, pr0pe11er D, recl ebchamber v ONOFRTO ABBRIUZZQ- H, and. Wings 13, substantiallyas describedand I Witnesses:

for the purpose specified. JOHN A. WIEDERSH IM,

6. An inelinedparaehute arrangedc-o co-op- D. OURAND. 

